1. Field of the Art
This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for inspecting slide fasteners in the last step of a continuous slide fastener production process and more particularly, to an inspection apparatus which allows a plurality of slide fasteners fed to the inspection apparatus in succession to be visually inspected by an operator while the slide fasteners are suspended in parallel and are being conveyed intermittently in the inspection apparatus.
2. Prior Art
It has been conventionally practiced that slide fasteners are visually inspected in the final step of a continuous production process for the slide fasteners.
In the conventional inspection procedure, the slide fasteners are fed in succession onto a belt conveyor, and the inspection is effected by an operator viewing the slide fasteners with the naked eye while the belt conveyor is continuously moved.
However, in this conventional inspection procedure, only the surface of the slide fasteners opposite from the surface of the fasteners lying on the belt conveyor is visually inspected and thus, in order to inspect the surfaces of the fasteners in contact with the belt, the fasteners have to be manually turned over which makes the inspection procedure troublesome. Since the products or slide fasteners are continually moving, the conventional inspection apparatus has the disadvantage that correct and precise inspection can not be achieved. In addition, since the slide fasteners are laid on the belt conveyor in an extended condition, the belt conveyor has a relatively large width, and thus the conventional inspection apparatus occupies a relatively large space.